Too-lenient rules for private columbariums expose consumers to exploitation

While public attention has been rightly absorbed by the ongoing strife over electoral reform, it would do well to keep one eye on the government's long-overdue efforts to regulate private columbariums as the Legislative Council has recently started scrutinising the bill introduced in June. After all, the legislation will affect where many of us will "occupy" long past our lifespan.

I have guided the development of several private columbariums, and the experience has given me an appreciation of the urgent need for industry regulation to boost transparency and consumer confidence in private columbariums. Ultimately, this can spur investment and increase supply to meet long-term demand.

The most controversial and confusing aspect of the bill revolves around the proposed exemptions for all the so-called "pre-bill" private columbariums, which would potentially be given up to six years to upgrade their facilities to meet all the requirements. They will be granted a "temporary suspension of liability" to continue operations but are prohibited from selling new interment rights until they have become properly licensed.

Whenever new regulatory regimes are put in place, exemptions are often needed to avoid widespread upheavals in the marketplace. Yet, the terms should not be so lenient that operators can drag their heels in bringing their facilities up to standard. Worse, some operators with no hope or intention of becoming licensed may try to pull a fast one over unsuspecting consumers.